Metro will proceed with joint development in New Carrollton

Despite the arrest of Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson on corruption charges, the head of joint development for Metro said the agency is moving “full speed ahead” with its search for a development partner at New Carrollton, a site that has attracted national attention for its potential as a large-scale, mixed-use, transit-oriented development.

Steve Goldin, director of real estate at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, said the barrage of negative headlines over the FBI investigation won't hamper progress.

“I can confidently predict that the incoming county executive and council members know that we are at a crossroads of opportunity in Prince George’s County and together we are all determined to move past this incident to create jobs for residents and revenue and ridership for Metro,” Goldin said in a statement to the Washington Business Journal. “But members of the development community can rest assured that, as their joint development partner, I will have the media on speed dial at the mere hint of impropriety.”

While other local jurisdictions have attracted development near transit, Prince George's has long suffered from a lack of development around its 15 Metro stations. But Goldin, who joined the authority in late 2009, said earlier this year hope hopes to change the dysfunction that has hobbled joint development there.